Man and Beast
by HalloweenJack
Summary: It's been a year since he let the world think he was dead, but now HULK IS BACK! AND HULK IS ANGRY! And Hulk..is not alone.
1. Ever Watchful, Ever Watching

    And oh yeah, standard disclaimers apply, so get off my back you blood sucking parasites. Lawyers, I swear to God.

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    "This has better be good." The man said as he walked into the war room, tired and more than a little annoyed that he had just been awakened from the first good night's sleep he had in years.

    "Oh it is General. It's very, very good. We've located him." His subordinate smiled.

    The general's face went white as his jaw dropped.

    "Blonsky, you had better be absolutely sure you know what you're talking about." The general said as he walked closer to his subordinate and looked out into the huge room filled with radar screens, monitors, and dozens of men working hard and round the clock.

    "General Zhukov, I wouldn't have sent for you if I wasn't one hundred percent sure of this." Colonel Emil Blonsky replied to his commanding officer.

    "Why don't you tell me where he is?" Zhukov, a stout man of about fifty said sitting in his chair.

    "Of course General. As you know, we've been on the lookout for the illustrious Doctor Banner ever since his "death" last year. There was enough evidence to support the idea that he may very well be alive. We've gone with every lead and eye witness report we could scrounge up ever since that day. Unfortunately, most of those are hoaxes. Until, today." Blonsky smiled as he picked a remote up from the table and pointed it at a screen, "Intel reports in Colombia have mentioned the existence of a "monster" in those areas doing battle with local revolutionaries. The battle was apparently very one sided. One of our men in the area got these pictures."

    The video plays on the screen showing several revolutionaries fleeing for their lives, shouting in Spanish. Machine gun shots are heard going off as well as the occasional explosion of a hand grenade. Drowning out all those sounds however was a very loud, very guttural roar. 

    "The leader of the revolutionaries, Carlos Phoomie, was something of a weapon's collector and had in his possession an eighty ton tank that he himself rode into battle in hopes to turn the tide against the creature." Blonsky said as the tape suddenly jumped forward.

    Something gleaming shot through the sky on the film and General Zhukov had to squint to try and make it out.

    "What is that Blonsky?" Zhukov asked.

    "An eighty ton tank, sir." Blonsky replied.

    The General's eyes went wide.

    "Amazing. Though if we know, then we can only assume the Americans know as well." Zhukov started, "And they're much closer to Colombia than we are."

    "True sir, but they don't have Piecemeal like we do. We can locate Banner within a one hundred and fifty mile radius if we just know the general area he's in to begin with. The Americans don't have that." Blonsky stated.

    "Has Putin heard about all this yet?" Zhukov asked.

    "Not yet sir. I had thought that you would wish to contact Moscow to let them know." 

    "And I will." Zhukov began as he stood up and turned for the door, "Are we absolutely sure we can contain him?"

    "Without a doubt sir. Just leave that to Piecemeal." Blonsky replied.

    Zhukov smiled, "You know once we get him, Russia will no longer be a laughing stock. We'll be a super power again. It's been far too long since we were anything but."

    "This I know sir." Blonsky smiled to the General's back.

    "I'm going to call Putin. I can't wait to hear his reaction to all this. We'll go down in history Blonsky, mark my words. We'll go down in history as heroes." Zhukov said as he walked out the door.

    Blonsky smiled as the General left and then replayed the tape again, watching the tank fly through the air in the distance. He played it again and smiled. Before playing it again. 

    "Heroes and gods."

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Just so everyone knows, this is based on the Hulk movie. I have no idea why there's no Hulk or Spider-Man category in the movies section but there's one for the X-Men. Those stinkin' muties. Anywho, this picks up where the movie ended. I really hope you all enjoy it.

Oh and on a side note, the name Carlos Phoomie…well back in the seventies there was one of those Hostess Fruit Pie/Twinkie ads that had the Hulk in it and you know how those things always have lame enemies. Well in the particular one I'm talking about the bad guys were the "Phoomie Goonies" a sort of South American revolutionary group, so now we all know where that came from don't we? Don't forget to review.


	2. What do you mean I'm drunk? I'll tell yo...

    They'll find me soon enough. I may as well have a drink to celebrate the occasion. That was sarcasm by the way. I just need a strong drink, or two, or three, or…you get the idea. So here I am, incognito in some little tavern waiting for Ross or someone like him to come blazing down here into this country and snatch me up. If it turns to a pushing contest, hopefully I can take it to a remote area because the homes of these people won't be able to stand up to my Mr. Hyde. Come to think of it, San Francisco didn't do such a good job either. Ah, the levity that comes with getting drunk.

    "I'll have another." I say in Spanish to the barkeep. 

    He nods and quickly brings over a glass and fills it with the best Scotch you can find…well it's not really good Scotch, but it's here.

    "There you go." He says in Spanish.

    "Gracias." I reply.

    I took a Spanish class in college. Luckily some things stuck. Most things I learned in college did stick. Like the beard thing. I hate this beard I'm wearing now, unfortunately I have to for the time being. I never understood why I didn't like wearing facial hair. It always made me, I don't know, vaguely uncomfortable when I looked in the mirror. I guess I know why now. My father, my TRUE father, not the kindly man who adopted me, wore a beard. My God what a psychopath he was.

    That's why I hate the beard. I look too much like him. I look like David Banner and my God that's a scary thought. I look like him and that only helps to reinforce that I'm like him inside too. They say most men become their fathers don't they? I sincerely hope not. My father thought he was some sort bizarre maestro, conducting a chorus that was my life and the world. He thought he was stronger, more powerful, and more intelligent than anyone else in the world. Well, my little Hyde has two out of three of those qualities so I'm not quite there yet. But who knows what tomorrow will bring?

    It's times like these that I miss Betty desperately. She's always been my rock, my salvation. Overly poetic, maybe, but true nonetheless. Of all the people in my life, Betty was the one who stuck by me through it all including the time I became the thing I am today. Betty understood me, even when I was my monster. She could calm me and get me to listen to reason when I had no reason. I can even remember a sense of protection being around her when I was wearing my other skin. That's rich irony. SHE protected ME when I could toss tanks into orbit. That's so funny I should start laughing.

    But I don't. I can't. Who could laugh when they know that deep inside of them there's a giant sleeping and every time your adrenalin rushes, he wakes up and decides its time to play? That and God only knows who's coming after me now and how much destruction will be caused when my giant decides to go "Fee Fi Fo Fum" when they open fire. I don't know. Maybe I'm just illustrating the hopelessness of the situation and am visualizing my depression. Did that last sentence make any sense? *Sigh* I simply cannot hold my liquor.

    "Mind if I join you?" a voice says in English.

    I look up and see a man, thirtyish, with brown cropped hair, and wearing a camera around his neck. I'm suddenly filled with dread at this. Who is this guy? Does he work for Ross or someone else? Does he know who I am? Deep inside I can feel the creature pounding on his cell, begging for release. But I simply breathe deeply and count to ten mentally, forcing him back down to sleep.

    "Free country." I reply.

    "Colombia?" he asks as he sits.

    "Sorry. I'm just so used to saying that." I mentally kick myself.

    "Jack McGee, National Register." He says extending his hand.

    I remember the Register. It was one of those tabloids in the supermarket lines that always proclaimed that scientists were going to blow up the moon, and then six months later you see a headline that says "Moon Made of Gold!" on the cover page. It makes me wonder if the Pope has recovered from his alien abduction yet.

    "Robert Flagg." I instantly conjure, shaking his digit. It isn't TOO much of a lie. Robert is my first name and a flag can be a banner.

    "It's good to see another gringo down here, let me tell you. It makes me glad I came in here now. I suck at Spanish." McGee stated.

    "I've heard it's a simpler language to learn than English. Less double meanings and all that." I reply, making good conversation with the man. I mean I may be living my last few hours as a free man here.

    "Buy you a drink?" he asks.

    "Thanks but I think I've had enough as it is." I say.

    "Buy me a drink?" McGee suddenly asks.

    I laugh for the first time in weeks.

    "Sure." I laugh and then ask the barkeep for a bottle.

    "Whole bottle. You're a generous man, Flagg." McGee laughs.

    "So what brings you to Colombia, Mr. McGee?" 

    "Chasing a story. One on the Hulk." McGee smiles, pouring a glass.

    I'm not entirely surprised of course.

    "The Hulk?" I ask, "I've been down here for a while."

    "You hear about that thing last year in the U.S.? Big green giant that tore the place to shreds?"

    I nod.

    "Oh it's just a name that stuck. Betty Ross mentioned it in an interview with Dateline.  She said it was something Banner had called that thing he turned into." 

    I knew of course. I watched the interview. She looked good.

    "No offense Mr. McGee, but isn't the Register a sort of a…well "fake" newspaper?" I ask

    "None taken. Yeah, it's a tabloid. Usually not a very good one. I've worked on some terrible stories before and here I am a trained journalist. This Hulk thing I actually believe in. It's something that's rooted in fact and I really like that."

    "Well, Christ was rooted in fact too and I saw once that your paper said He was going to return to Earth in 1997 for the rapture." I say.

    McGee just smiles and replies coyly, "He's just running a little late, I swear."

    I decide at that point that I like McGee.

    "Still, wasn't the Hulk destroyed?" 

    "That's what the general consensus was, yeah. But rumors are flying fast and furious that he's here in Colombia beating the tar out of revolutionaries. You have to have heard about that?" McGee says.

    "I have. I don't really give it much thought though. Hysteria." 

    "Well that's what I'm paid to find out. So what are you doing here, Flagg?"

    "I…work with heavy machinery." I smile.

    "Well that's good." He says pouring another glass and hefting it, "To heavy equipment."

    What the hell? I take the bottle and pour myself a glass too.

    "To the Hulk and aliens abducting the Pope."

    Miles away, a cargo plane lands on an isolated airfield. It rolls slowly to a stop, as the propellers slowly wind down. The door on the plane slowly opens and a group of soldiers exit the aircraft with Emil Blonsky leading the way. He strides toward his contact here with authority.

    "You are Rodriguez?" Blonsky asks in fractured Spanish.

    "Yes sir. Colonel Blonsky I presume?" Rodriguez asks.

    "I am. Is everything in accordance?" Blonsky questions.

    "Yes. Five jeeps, a helicopter, and two large transport trucks." Rodriguez states, "Though from the amount of men you have brought here, what do you plan to put in the trucks?"

    "One is for our captive once we have him restrained." Blonsky said, "The other is for our associate."

    "Your associate?"

    Rodriguez froze when he heard the clang of loud footsteps on the metal of the cargo plane. He turned when he saw a hand grip the side of the doorway. A very large hand. Rodriguez nearly lost control of his bladder when he saw the eyes of the thing as the head peaked out. They were blazing red. BLAZING. The face itself was chalk white and Rodriguez swallowed hard when the creature exited the plane completely. It stood well over seven feet tall and made a large thud with every step it took. A long tail followed the creature and waved in the air with each step. The creature slowly walked up behind Blonsky and Rodriguez backed away.

    "Mr. Rodriguez," Blonsky started, "Say hello to our associate. Say hello to Piecemeal."

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If you're keeping count, you'll note that I have made several Hulk references here.

For example, when referring to the beard and the fact that all men become their fathers and that David was seen as a maestro, you'd guess I was referring to the Hulk's future incarnation, in where he ruled the world as the Maestro while in full beard.

Fans of the old TV show will notice that I decided to add reporter Jack McGee in. He was a pretty interesting character I thought, and it was a shame that he was never really used in the comic. So I thought I'd add him.

Finally, experienced fans of the Hulk comic will recognize Piecemeal, a super powered creation of the Red Skull. However, he has a much different origin here that I'll get into eventually. 

Oh, and I'm sure most Hulk fans can point out at least one other character I've decided to use here. Let's just say that things are going to get quite bad eventually. You could even say they're downright …….nope. That would give it away. J 


	3. Set Me Free

    Piecemeal ran through the tropical forests and along the dirt roads faster than any automobile could travel on them given the roughness of the jungle. He paused momentarily and felt for the power. Yes, he felt it again. All that brilliant, radiating power, south by southwest. There was a gnawing at some part of Piecemeal. He was hungry. He was VERY hungry. And soon he would feed and feel. He would be content. After issuing a loud scream into the sky, Piecemeal again took off down the roads, kicking up clouds of dust behind him. 

    High above a helicopter thundered, managing to keep pace with the monstrosity as it barreled down the road. A very stunned Rodriguez and a smirking Blonsky watched as the creature leapt over a grouping of trees and landed, running at incredible speeds. 

    "Mr. Blonsky," Rodriguez asked in Spanish, "What is that thing?"

    Blonsky understood the question and immediately began to respond.

    "That is the latest Russian Super Soldier. Ever since the aftermath of World War two, when Russia and the United States became the two dominant super-powers in the world arms races began. One very public and one very secret. The public eye focused on the creation of nuclear weapons. The secret one was far more interesting. It was the production of Super Soldiers. The Americans tried to replace their long dead Captain while we Russians started our own little creations. The culmination of our labors was Omega Red. However, he was…difficult to control. So we turned our efforts to a far more physically powerful and simple minded thing that we could keep leashed. After vivisecting several dozen mutants, we created Piecemeal. Much in the vein of Omega Red, this creature can drain away life energy, weakening whatever it would do battle with. Additionally, the creature is very powerful physically as you can attest from his sprinting. Piecemeal will subdue our target and then he will be ours. Of course I'm speaking in Russian, because if I knew you understood a word of this I'd have to push you out of the helicopter. And frankly, I'm not in the mood right now."

    "Que?" Rodriguez replied in Spanish.

    Blonsky smiled, "Forgive me. I sometimes like to hear myself speak. It's the devil, Mr. Rodriguez. The devil."

    "I'm telling you Flagg, you wouldn't believe how much gets put on me to at least fake the Hulk's appearances." McGee said, pouring another drink. 

    "What do you mean?" Banner asked, taking the new glass with a smile.

    "Well, my "masters" at the Register don't know the meaning of journalistic integrity. "We're a tabloid McGee, not the New York Times. Just make something up". And I'm all, "Look, I'll do a story on the Hulk. I'll talk to some scientists and get their opinions on the thing, but I would really not write some third grade story for publication". Then they reply, "There's a bodybuilder named Ferrigno that we use for our Bigfoot exposes. If we could paint him green, he could be passed off for the Hulk"." Jack McGee sighs. 

    "They really think that a bodybuilder could pass for the Hulk?" Banner asks. 

    "It's ridiculous I know."

    "You don't seem the kind of man who works for a tabloid Mr. McGee. Why aren't you working for a more reputable paper?"

    "That's a long and boring story that I'd rather not bother you with." McGee says looking a bit somber, before perking up and swallowing his drink whole with a grimace, "Besides, all newspapers are fundamentally the same. They just want to make money. I figure a paper like the Register is more fun to work at. Hell of a staff there. Really great people."

    "Still, you want to try to get the facts straight about the Hulk?"

    "My father always told me, "A man needs to know when to show his pride and when to draw a line". And I'm not going to show a bodybuilder off to the world as the real Hulk." McGee said, "So I think we should cut to the chase Dr. Banner."

    Banner showed no sign of surprise and merely drank from his glass, "I'm afraid you have me mistaken Mr. McGee. I told you my name is Flagg."

    "Yeah, that IS what you told me, but come on Banner. I've studied your picture every night for the last ten months. I've made copies of it and drawn mustaches, beards, glasses and every other thing I can think of on it. I know what you look like and I KNOW you're Dr. Bruce Banner." McGee whispered.

    "Then you'd also know I don't like that name." Bruce whispered back.

    "It's your name isn't it?" McGee fired back. 

    Bruce stared at the reporter sitting no more than three feet away from him.

    "Mr. McGee, don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry." Bruce warned.

    "I'm not trying to make you angry. I'm just doing my job. I took it because I want to hear your side of this story. Did you know that you have the U.S. more scared than Osama Bin Laden and Magneto combined?" 

    "You're not making me any less angry that's for sure." Bruce growled, his heart picking up pace a bit. He mentally counted to ten as McGee went on talking. 

    "Look, Banner I've done my homework on you. From what the public is presented with and little more that we weren't told, I managed to study you and come to my own conclusions. I know you're not the bad guy in this. This is something that's way out of your control and I want to let people all over the world see that. I just want your side of the story. I'll even let you walk after I get just a few words. I've got no interest in seeing you locked away and doped up for life. Just a few words?" McGee asked. 

    "I'm leaving now. Goodbye Mr. McGee." Banner said getting up and starting for the door. 

    "Look man, all I want to do is help you out!" McGee said, following him, "I just want to get your version of everything out there."

    "And I said no." Bruce spun on his heel, "People I love have been hurt by this thing. People I've never met before have been hurt by this thing! The last thing I want to do is bring this Hulk business up for some tabloid and hurt what friends and family I have left!"

   Bar patrons were starting to watch the argument, not really understanding a word that was said between the two men, but nonetheless enjoying it.

    "You know Banner; the one thing I never figured you for was a coward. All I want is to get people on your side and maybe find some way in hell to cure you! I just want to help you!"

    "And I don't want your help. Everyone I help ends up hurt or worse. Let it go McGee. Let it go or else." Banner said, shaking. 

    "Or else what? You'll turn into the Hulk and tear a hole in the wall?"

    Suddenly, the wall really did come crashing in, with a chunk of it hitting Bruce in the back of the head. He slumped forward and fell flat on his face. McGee fell backwards and crashed into a table. Bar patrons scattered at once, and even more would scatter when they saw it entering the room. McGee himself considered running. It was a large creature, with blood red eyes and chalk white skin. It cocked its head quizzically as it entered the bar. A tail moved in the air behind it and lashed out, striking the remnants of the wall. It strode forward, walking somewhat like a bird before looking down at the fallen form of Banner. A demonic smile crossed its face as it moved towards him.

    Piecemeal had found his prey. With a slight hissing laugh, it reached down and picked the unconscious Banner up by the neck. Immediately, the life of Bruce Banner began to flow into the creature. McGee didn't know what was going on, but he did know that a monster holding an unconscious Bruce Banner by the neck was not a good thing. Swallowing, he gathered up his courage and got up. 

    "Put him down!" McGee yelled. 

    Piecemeal ignored him. He was feeding on the life of Banner. He was enjoying himself.

    "I said put him down!" McGee yelled again, this time picking up the remnants of a chair and throwing them at Piecemeal. The pieces of wood bounced off the chest of the monster and Piecemeal shot McGee a hateful glance, before swatting him away like an insect with its tail. He would just have to wait his turn. Then a most curious thing happened. As McGee sailed through the air and crashed into the bar his camera went off. Piecemeal dropped Banner to the floor and screeched. The flash of the bulb had bothered him for some reason. Neither Piecemeal nor McGee really understood why either. 

    Had Blonsky been there, his explanation would have been sufficient. Piecemeal wasn't entirely organic. Some parts of him were cybernetic, particularly parts of his brain and eyes. The flash photography gave him the equivalent of an epileptic seizure. While McGee was unsure of what exactly had happened, but even groggy he wasn't about to let any advantage he had go to waste. So he took another picture. And then another. And then another. And Piecemeal screamed.

    It was Christmas. The tree was up next to the window, the radio was on with White Christmas playing, and little Bruce could smell the cookies Mommy was baking in the oven. And there was Daddy, by the tree talking to Mommy. They were smiling and laughing. Bruce liked it when Mommy and Daddy were happy. It made him happy too. It wasn't so fun when Daddy was mad. 

    "Hey little guy." Daddy said when he saw Bruce enter the room. He then looked over to Mommy and smiled. 

    "Bruce, do you want to help Daddy put the star on top of the tree?" Mommy asked. 

    Little Bruce nodded exuberantly and quickly headed over to the tree. Mommy reached down into the box of decorations and gave him the star. Bruce held onto it and cherished it like a child of his own. Holding it, he blocked out the knocking sound on the door coming from Mommy and Daddy's room. 

    "Okay, little guy. Come here." Daddy said. 

    Bruce went to Daddy and squealed with delight as Daddy picked him up by the waist and held him up to the tree. Daddy had to be the strongest man in the world. Hopefully one day Bruce wished he could be as strong as Daddy. Bruce put the star on top of the tree and clapped even if it was a little lopsided. That just made Mommy smile even larger. Daddy sat him down and didn't look as happy, but he was smiling a little. Then the three of the looked to the top of the tree and watched the star seem to glow. The star had to be the prettiest thing Bruce had ever seen. It glowed a safe green color. It made him feel better about the louder knocking sound at the door.

    "David?" Mommy suddenly said, "David, do you think we should let him get one of his presents now?"

    Daddy looked a little upset.

    "Shouldn't we wait until tomorrow? That's the tradition isn't it?" Daddy asked.

    "Yes, but he's been such a good boy and I think he deserves just a little present. Please David?" Mommy asked.

    Daddy frowned a bit as little Bruce looked up to him. David looked down at him and then smiled just slightly.

    "Okay, I don't think Santa would be TOO upset with us if we let him have one present." Daddy said, "Since Santa hasn't put them under the tree yet, maybe he put them somewhere else. What do you think little guy? Want me to help you find one?"

    Bruce nodded and smiled happily. His Daddy had to be the best man in the world. 

    "Okay, I'll tell you if you're hot or cold okay?" Daddy said.

    Bruce nodded and walked towards the kitchen. He avoided the door to Mommy and Daddy's room. Something was knocking at the other side. 

    "Oh, you're so cold you're freezing. Brrr." Daddy said.

    Bruce looked back with a smile and then heard the knocking turn to a thump. Bruce looked at the door with more than a little fear. Daddy saw where his eyes were looking to and smiled. 

    "A little warmer."

    Bruce swallowed and inched towards the door. The thumping grew louder, making him stop halfway towards the door. He turned and looked at Mommy and Daddy, horribly afraid.

    "What's the matter Bruce?" Mommy asked. 

    "You scared, little guy?" Daddy asked as well, and it looked like he was smirking just a little, "You're so warm you're burning up!"

    Bruce's courage was restored with the prospect of a present so he inched closer to the door. A louder thump made him fall back on his rear and then get up and run over to behind Mommy. 

    "So cold you're arctic." Daddy said, disappointedly. 

    "What's wrong Bruce?" Mommy asked.

    "Monster." Bruce mouthed, hiding behind her. 

    "Monster? Please, Bruce there's nobody here but us." Daddy sighed, "Go get your present Bruce."

    Bruce shook his head "no" adamantly.

    "Bruce, there are no such things as monsters okay? Now go get your present." Daddy said, a little irritable.

    "David, maybe we should wait until tomorrow. Bruce doesn't seem to want to get it now." Mommy said. 

    "Funny, I thought this was your idea, Edith. And maybe if you'd stop coddling the boy long enough, he'd work up some courage for once and get over it." Daddy said harshly.

    "David! He's just a little boy!" Mommy replied.

    "Is he? From the way you mother him you'd think we had a little girl." Daddy replied. 

    "David…not in front of Bruce." Mommy said, sounding strained.

    "Alright. I agree. He doesn't need to see our…problems, but he WILL go into that room and get his present." Daddy said loudly. 

    "David, he doesn't want to." Mommy said back to Daddy, holding Bruce close to her.

    "Really? Well maybe Santa doesn't want to bring presents to this house anymore. So unless he goes in there and gets that present, I don't think he'll find any under the tree in the morning." Daddy said hatefully.

    "You wouldn't dare." Mommy said, sounding mad.

    "Try me." Daddy replied. 

    Mommy didn't say another word, and after a long while Daddy spoke up.

    "Bruce, go get your present." Daddy ordered. 

    "Monster." Bruce said looking up, tearfully.

    "Go. Get. It." Daddy growled. 

    Mommy didn't speak up this time, and Bruce looked to her for help. She looked almost ready to cry too. Bruce looked to Daddy again, who towered over him. He slowly walked away from Mommy towards the bedroom door. The sounds were so loud now. There weren't thumps anymore, they sounded like thunderclaps. The door moved forward slightly, straining on the hinges as Bruce walked towards it. He could hear guttural grunts and growls on the other side and with every step he took the door shook. Bruce was almost in tears as he approached it. Thunderclaps coincided with his small footsteps as his shaking hand reached out for the doorknob. A loud crash made his hand withdraw. 

    "There's nothing in there Bruce…" Daddy's voice said. 

    Bruce's hand shot out and turned the knob, pushing the door open violently. Bruce nearly screamed in terror as he saw something so huge on the other side that it was too big for the doorframe. Something huge and green and angry.

    "…nothing but you."

    Bruce looked up at the titan that stood before him just as it looked down at him growling. 

    "Puny human." The creature's voice boomed, "Puny Banner."

    "Puny Banner." Bruce said as his eyes opened and started to turn a shade of emerald.

    Piecemeal batted the camera from Jack McGee's hands and hissed at him. It reached for him and gripped him by the neck. McGee already felt weak from the touch of the creature. He could literally see the Register's headlines, "Reporter killed by Monster!" He laughed because no one would ever even believe it. Piecemeal hissed out a laugh. Then he stopped laughing and his grip slackened. 

    He dropped to the floor as Piecemeal was thrown through another wall of the bar by the tail. He rolled on the ground a good twenty feet before managing to get upright. He felt it. Whatever it was, Piecemeal felt it. It was the feel of the human he had been feasting on only the feeling had gone up a hundredfold. It was overpowering, mouthwatering even. And then Piecemeal saw it. 

    It walked through the hole his body had made, breaking more of the bar as it went it. It was huge. Easily as big or bigger than Piecemeal. Its body was an unholy mountain of thick cords of green muscle. It walked forward, the action of breathing making the broad shoulders of the creature move up and down. It growled in challenge at Piecemeal and beat a hand against its own chest. Piecemeal hissed and the creature before it roared loudly, making Piecemeal back up a few feet before hissing again. 

    The monsters eyed one another and only one of them spoke. It was the newcomer. It looked at Piecemeal and told it exactly what it intended to do. It beat one hand against its chest again and roared so the whole countryside would hear what it wanted to do. 

"SMAAAAAAAAAAASH!!!!!!!" the Hulk bellowed as it leapt at Piecemeal. 

*********************************************************************

Okay, sorry about the delay here. Lady Inspiration hasn't been visiting as often. Though she came to me in a dream today. In fact, the dream that Bruce had was pretty much the dream I had though I toyed with it a bit to make it better. In the dream, David gave little Bruce one of the Hulk dogs as a Christmas present and it attacked Bruce as he opened it. I think it worked better the way I wrote it actually. 

Let's see now, what else is here. I've given my own spin on Piecemeal of course, but his powers are pretty much the same, though in the comics when he drained you he also took on a few of your characteristics and even some personality traits. Nice little mention of mutants too. I may want to incorporate a few crossovers of Marvel and DC movies eventually.  

As for Super Soldiers, the Captain that the Americans made was obviously Captain America while I mentioned Omega Red as one the Russians made. 

There was the mention of Ferrigno, who the National Register wanted to impersonate the Hulk. This is obvious an homage to Lou Ferrigno who played the Hulk in the Incredible Hulk TV show.

And was McGee disgraced into taking a job at the Register? I'm not sure yet, but I might have to write a fic about it one day.

And yeah, I figure if I'm going to do crossovers between a few of the movies, I figure what the hell? May as well establish the facts. I figure Magneto would be considered a pretty dangerous and feared terrorist. 

Oh yeah, and rest assured if I ever do a crossover between the Hulk and X-Men, you better believe the thing I would do first would be a battle that's oftentimes considered classic, the Hulk vs. Wolverine. Go on, guess who'd win. I dare ya. 

I dunno how this will be received actually, but I'm trying to establish David Banner as a somewhat sympathetic. Oh he was a bastard, no doubt, but I think back in the early years there was actually a shred of love for his family there.  I mean there was the scene in the movie where he played with Bruce with the toys at the beginning. Hell, one day I might even do a story about his time in prison. Just really depends on Lady Inspiration. 

Anywho, leave some reviews and tell me what you think. 

P.S. Next time, I hope you're ready for action because you're getting it. I want to make this one hell of a fight. 

And thanks to Vicki for pointing out that Bruce's mother was named Edith in the movie. I honestly knew her name wasn't Rebecca, but couldn't remember what she was called in the movie. So I just used her name from the comics. Thanks again though.


	4. War of the Monsters

    Betty Ross looked up from her coffee and out over San Francisco. It was moments like this when she thought of him, when she thought of the sweet, gentle man she loved and the monster that he became. She wondered what he was doing right now, where he was. Betty sighed and thought of the life he must lead now.

    She thought of all the running that he did as man and monster, and it saddened her. Bruce's life was entirely unfair. It was wrong. He was a good man but he had to wall himself off from his emotions or he would become that thing that they both feared. She desperately hoped that one day he could find a way to quell that demon in him. Then maybe they could have a life together. Maybe. 

    A rain drop glanced over her cheek, causing her to look up at the dark clouds that had started forming in the sky. Another drop fell. And another. The rain picked up and Betty turned to go back inside before she got soaked. She paused when she heard thunder. Every time she heard it she thought of him. 

    "Take care of yourself." She whispered as she walked back into the institute and closed the glass door, just watching the rain.

    Piecemeal was slammed backwards through a building that was little more than a shack and exploded out the other side. It rolled on the ground and regained its footing just as the Hulk erupted from the building as well, collapsing it. It roared and beat its chest as it advanced. 

    Piecemeal hissed and strode forward only to be backhanded by a fist the size of a PC. It stumbled backwards as another Dell slammed into its face with a powerful right jab. Piecemeal was grabbed by the throat and lifted into the air and then chokeslammed into the ground making a crater. Tons of pressure pressed it down further; compacting the dirt beneath it. Piecemeal hissed loudly and in pain as the Hulk kept pushing and pushing as its face drew nearer to Piecemeal's. Strings of saliva hung from the mouth and beard of the behemoth above him and dripped onto his face as the Hulk crouched lower coming face to face with the patchwork creature.

    "Smash." The Hulk said in an impossibly low voice. Then he savagely bit into the shoulder of Piecemeal, taking a huge chunk out of the creature. Piecemeal screeched in pain and failed its limbs and tail to try and get free. Even in its blind panic, the monster was able to dig its claw-pointed fingers into the eyes of the Hulk. 

    The Hulk roared so loud that a lion would sound like a kitten mewling in comparison as it backed away in pain, hands covering its face. Tears of blood trailed down his cheeks. Piecemeal managed to regain his composure and vertical base as he watched the Hulk back away, dramatically screaming and clutching its face. It screamed like a child. 

    Piecemeal's tail shot out and wrapped about the left knee of the Green Goliath and yanked it out from under him with incredible force. The Hulk fell backwards onto his back as Piecemeal's tail uncoiled. Then like a form of great cat, Piecemeal pounced on the Hulk and began slashing at the parts of his exposed face, drawing great cuts that brought small rivers of blood to the surface. Piecemeal screeched and hissed as it dug its claws into the emerald skin of its foe. A smile of sadistic delight appeared on its face and grew into a purely psychotic grin with each and every slash. 

    It faded when the Hulk uncovered its eyes. They had healed and they had a very angry look about them. A small explosion rang out as Piecemeal suddenly found himself aloft. The sensation of flight was short lived however, when Piecemeal suddenly crashed to earth on a dirt road. A dirt road two miles from the town. 

    "My God." Jack McGee said as he saw the Hulk begin to run and take a small leap. One that was followed by a slightly larger one. By the third leap, the Hulk was gone over the trees leaving a stunned Jack McGee to rub his eyes in wonder. 

    He looked back to the ruins of the bar and laughed out loud. 

    "This calls for a drink." He said as he walked back towards it.

    Piecemeal rose and shook its head hard, trying to become coherent. Seconds later he was driven back into the ground face first as the Hulk landed atop him. The Hulk's hands quickly clutched the throat of the beats from behind and began to pull upwards as he sat on the small of Piecemeal's back. He was executing the Camel Clutch. The Hulk roared as somewhere deep inside him Bruce Banner remembered the maneuver from all those Saturdays spent watching wrestling with his foster father. Everyone has guilty pleasures.

    The roar was cut short as the prehensile tail of Piecemeal rose up and wrapped about the Hulk's thick neck like a great constrictor. Piecemeal hissed as his neck was pulled more fiercely upon his neck as the Hulk choked with the powerful tail draped about his own. Piecemeal's dim mind thought for added incentive to make the brute release him from the devastating hold. The answer came immediately as Piecemeal's arms bent back at the elbows and his powerful claws dug into the sides of the Hulk making him choke out a roar of pain. Piecemeal was of course triple-jointed. 

    The momentary pain the Hulk felt was all that Piecemeal needed. Straining, Piecemeal's tail pulled the Hulk back making him release his grip. The Hulk slammed into the ground hard as Piecemeal stood, keeping his tail still tightly bound around his foe's neck. Lifting with all his monumental strength, Piecemeal lifted the Hulk into the air and slammed him down again. The Hulk merely grunted as he landed. He grunted twice more as Piecemeal lifted him into the air again. Piecemeal laughed with a hiss and looked to the gorge next to the dirt road. With a powerful swing, the Hulk was sent cascading towards the gorge. 

    There was just one problem with this stratagem. As soon as Piecemeal's tail began to uncoil from the Hulk's neck, one of the Hulk's massive hands got a firm grip on it. The momentum began to pull Piecemeal along for the ride. Knowing his sudden jeopardy, Piecemeal's claws dug into the ground, scrambling for any and all footing. The momentum slowed and the Hulk slammed into the cliff's wall. He hung onto Piecemeal's tail desperately and began to dig his feet into the side of the cliff. 

    Piecemeal felt momentary relief, but it was only momentary. The Hulk roared in rage and made Piecemeal hazard a glance over his shoulder. The beast looked larger and more muscular than before. His grip was greater too. The Hulk pulled at Piecemeal, dragging him along even with his claws dug into the ground. Pushing off the cliff wall with the most powerful legs in the world, the Hulk growled and had more leverage against Piecemeal. Piecemeal hissed and growled as he was pulled closer and closer. Using his own great strength he struggled to crawl forward. 

    The Hulk roared as his legs became shaky and he was pulled forward. Deep within him however, he thought he heard a faint voice. It seemed to tell him what to do. The Hulk stopped roaring and merely growled as he let his legs buckle and bend as Piecemeal pulled. When they had bent all the way, the Hulk pushed outwards with all his might, in effect leaping off the side of the cliff. The Hulk roared as he went into a freefall. Still, he didn't mind. He had taken larger falls than this before. Also Piecemeal was coming with him. The two crashed into the cliff several times before falling into the river below and disappearing.  

    A lone helicopter flew over the river and inside Colonel Emil Blonsky had a calm, dispassionate look on his face as Rodriguez sat beside him laughing. 

    "It looks like your devil isn't the worst monster in these parts." Rodriguez laughed. 

    Blonsky sighed and pulled a control from his pants pocket. As the small device opened, Rodriguez noted two buttons; a red and blue one. Blonky's gloved finger delicately caressed the red one before he pressed it. 

    "Masers are now armed." Blonsky stated. 

    The Hulk erupted from the river stumbling back as it held its head. There was another huge cut on the side. Piecemeal followed the Hulk's spectacular reemergence, firing beams of light from small cannons that were protruding from his forearms. The beams cut into the Hulk's massive body making him back away and clutch each wound. They were healing quickly, but they kept appearing on his body. Groaning in the pain the Hulk backed away and lost his footing in the water. He fell onto his backside and sat there, water almost over his head. Piecemeal strode forward, pointing both maser cannons at the Hulk's head. 

    "Hurt." The Hulk groaned, "Hurt."

    Piecemeal actually understood the words and snickered as he walked forward preparing to effectively cut off the Hulk's head with the masers. 

    "Hurt." The Hulk begged off. 

    Piecemeal walked closer and watched the pained expression on the Hulk's face with joy. The Hulk's pain soon turned to a grin.

    "Not hurt." The Hulk said.

    The Hulk's hands erupted from the water and hit Piecemeal with a double axe handle blow, sending waves of water crashing everywhere. Piecemeal flew backwards and went under water before standing again. It looked to the Hulk and hissed, preparing to fire. The Hulk merely stood there, looking larger than ever.

    "You. Hurt." The Hulk growled as he drew his hands back behind his body. Piecemeal didn't understand what the Hulk was doing. Then it heard a sound like a bomb falling from the sky. A whistling sound rang through the river as the Hulk's hands came back towards one another at simply incredible speeds. Seconds later, the Hulk's hands slammed into one another in a clapping motion. 

    Jack McGee fell off his barstool and covered his ears at the sound. The windows in Emil Blonsky's helicopter broke. Great waves of water splashed up over their banks. Boulders fell into said river. Piecemeal flew back like a rocket and skidded across the water and up onto the land. The Hulk merely stood motionless with its hands pressed together, arms held into front of its great chest. Slowly, they recoiled.

    "Puny monster." The Hulk growled, "Smashed."

    Piecemeal sat up shrieking, unable to hear a sound and fired at the Hulk. The masers connected with the Hulk's chest making him back away slightly. He growled and took a step forward. Piecemeal fired again and again. The blasts kept hitting the Hulk. They kept cutting him. But now, the Hulk appeared so huge that they didn't bother him as much. One even cut all the way through his stomach and out his back. He clutched his stomach and kept walking forwards. Piecemeal kept firing as the titan strode forth.  

    The Hulk merely growled and one hand shot into the water and produced one of the fallen boulders. Fingers dug into solid rock and muscle and sinew lifted the rock into the air, one handed. The rock exited the Hulk's hand and slammed into Piecemeal knocking him backward, his maser cannons broken and useless by the impact. He shoved the rock off and looked at the huge Hulk walking onshore. He now easily towered above Piecemeal and the stomach wound was nearly gone. Hissing, Piecemeal leapt upon the man-monster and dug his claws into him. Piecemeal was casually tossed aside. It was like a housecat trying to attack an adult human or a lion against an elephant. 

    "Puny monster die now." The Hulk growled. 

    Piecemeal back away in fear and looked about for a weapon, any weapon. He spied a log that had washed ashore. He lifted it and swung it at the Hulk's chest. It shattered into splinters. The Hulk merely looked down on Piecemeal unimpressed. It growled and Piecemeal could tell it was angry even though he had lost his hearing. The Hulk's shoulders heaved up and down, as his breathing grew heavier. Piecemeal hissed and was flatted with a hammer blow, sending him to the ground. He tried to rise but the Hulk's massive foot came down across his back and planted him into the ground. Piecemeal's hisses became screams of pain. The Hulk dug his foot into the cyborg's back and roared mightily beating his chest. He then looked down in disgust and enclosed one fist about Piecemeal's head. A mighty jerk later, the Hulk was holding his foe's head in the pal of his head. The Hulk cocked his head and threw it into the sky and roared loudly, beating his chest like some giant ape. 

    "STRONGEST ONE THERE IS!!!!! STRONGEST ONE THERE IS!!!!!" the Hulk bellowed to the sky. 

    Blonsky smiled and patted his pilot on the back. 

    "It's time." He said. 

    The pilot nodded and reached to a case at his side. He slid it back to Blonsky. The Colonel opened it, revealing two gas masks. Blonsky reached down and handed one to the pilot. He then reached down and put the other about his own face. 

    Rodriguez was puzzled. 

    "What about me?" he asked. 

    "Oh you. Yes, well I think it's time our association ended." Blonsky said, albeit muffled, "Goodbye Mr. Rodriguez."

    Blonsky's boot met Rodriguez in the face and knocked the man off balance. He tried to get up and challenge Blonsky, but a mighty shove sent him sprawling out of the helicopter. Blonsky watched him fall and hit the ground. Under his mask, Blonsky smiled.

    "Do you hear that?" he asked of his pilot.

    "Hear what sir?" the pilot asked, ears still ringing a bit.

    "There's no idiot asking questions every five seconds." Blonsky smiled as he looked to the Hulk two hundred feet below, "Now let's shut you up too."

    He pressed the blue button on the control.

    Several tanks inside Piecemeal's body blew at the same time. The Hulk heard it, felt it, and lifted his foot staring down at the remains of his foe. He cocked his head as some kind of smoke began to pour out of the corpse. The air suddenly felt…dirty. The Hulk roared and threw a blow at the body of Piecemeal, but that just made more of the smoke erupt outwards. The Hulk growled and swung an arm at the smoke, dissipating some of it, but not near enough of it. He backed away from this new foe. He felt somewhat sick and threw another punch at the smoke. It was weaker than the first. The Hulk groaned and tried to roar, but couldn't quite put it together. He swung a still weaker punch at the smoke, and then fell to one knee. He tried to throw another but found he couldn't lift his arm. The Hulk groaned and fell face first as the smoke permeated his being. His eyes glazed over and gradually closed. Before he slipped away into unconsciousness, he had the bizarre notion that he was getting smaller.

    Emil Blonsky smiled and patted his pilot on the shoulder again. 

    "Get on the radio to the men. Tell them the Death Spores dropped him. Tell them we got him."

Nothing to really add at this point. The only real thing is that I decided to use Death Spores to drop the Hulk. Those were some of Omega Red's primary weapons, so I figure that if the Russians built Piecemeal after Red in this universe, well Piecemeal probably had them too. And let us please have a moment of silence for our dear departed Piecemeal. 

Well that's long enough I think. Anywho, yeah I'm a wrestling fan. You can probably tell from all the wrestling moves I had added to this chapter. Just be grateful that I didn't have the Hulk F5 Piecemeal like Brock Lesnar. That'd just be silly.

And for those wanting to be in the know, I tried to script this fight kind of like a Kaiju (Japanese monster) movie fight. I get a kick out of those so it's a tribute.  


End file.
